Rodent trap



July 30, 1929. w. G. RAMSEY ET AL 1,722, 57

RODENT TRAP Filed NOV. 29 1926 Patented July 30, 1929.

UNITED I WILLIAM G. RAMSEY, EDWARD s. EICI-IENLAUIB, AND JOHN M. BARNIILLE, or

WILLARD, OHIO.

RODENT TRAP.

Application filed November 29, 1926. Serial No. 151,407.

Our invention relates to a rodent trap and aims toprovide a novel andimproved device of this character which may be conveniently set withperfect safety and will be efiective in catching rodents.

Our invention contemplates the provision of a spring forced jaw held inset position by a trip lever which is adapted to be released from thejaw b a pivoted bait holder, said trip lever anc bait holder being soassociated that it is only necessary to force the jaw back againstspring tension to reset the trap, thus eliminating the necessity ofholding the bait platform in raised position during resetting of thetrap, which would endanger the fingers of the user during suchresetting.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a trap of the aboveindicated character, which is simple and substantial in construction,which can be manufactured economically, and which will be thoroughlyeflicient and practical in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be apparent asthe description proceeds, the invention resides in the construction andarrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed, it beingunderstood that changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed,without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of our im- I proved trap, showing thesame in set position,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section through the trap, showingthe same in set position and showing in dotted lines the position of'thejaw after the same has been released, and

, Figure 3 is a fragmentary top planof the bait holder and a portion ofthe trip lever associated therewith.

' 1 Referring to the drawings the numeral 10 designates the baseor'platform, which has pivotally supported thereon slightly towards oneend from the center thereofa jaw 11 consisting of a U-shaped memberpref- 5 erably formed of wire and having parallel side portions 12 and'abight portion 18. The ends of the side portions 12 remote" from thebight portion 13 are coiled, as at 14, adjacent their ends, while theterminals 15 thereof protrude a slight distance from 'ment with relationthereto.

said coiled portions and bear on the platform. Extending through thecoiled portlons on each endof'the U-shaped jaw is a bar 16 which has itsopposite ends turned at right angles and secured into the base orplatform 10, as at 17. Byproviding the coiled portions with'the extendedterminals engaging the base or platform 10 said coils not only act as ameans for pivoting the jaw but also as means for yieldably forcing thejaw against the base or platform 10.

Extending between'the opposite parallel side portions12 of the jawadjacent the points where the same are coiled is a bar 18 which hasiitsopposite ends rigidly secured to said side portions 12 so that said barwill be carried by the jaw against move- Pivoted adjacent to the end towhich the jaw is pivoted is a trip lever 19, which extends across andlever is formed by providing an eye 21 on said lever engaging a staple22 driven into the base or platform 10. The extremity of the trip leveradjacent the eye 21 extends rearwardly and downwardly, as at 23, so asto engage the base or platform 10 upon *over thebar 18 carried by thejaw 11 and excessive upward movement of the trip lever on its pivot soas to limit said upward movement.

The trip lever extends forwardly after the forming of the offset portion20 thereon, as at 24, andis then slightly bent downwardly, as at'25.Adjacent the point where'thev trip lever is bent downwardly at 25, thesame extends through an elongated loop 26 provided in one end of a baitholder 27 pivoted to theforward end of the base or platform 10, as at28. The bait holder is arranged inthe formation of a lever, constructedof' relatively stifi' wire which is looped, as at 29, to provide anopening through which astaple 30 extends to form the pivotal connection28. The bait holder 10 at a point spaced from the loop 26 and has theportion 31 thereof adjacent saidpivotal connection'extending downwardlyto a point where the same engages the base or platform lO when the trapisset, as at 32 inFigure 2 of the drawings, From the point 32 the lever:extends at :an angle to the portion 31 thereof in an upward andrearward direction, as at 33, until the forming of the loop 26, thereon.The loop 26 1s formed by bending the end of thewlre from which the baitlever is constructed baclr on itself for a relatively long distance andthen turning the extremity thereof towards :the

- bait.

By. referring to Figure v2 of the drawings, it can be seen that when thetrap is in set position the bait platform 36 is elevated or raised aboveand in-close relation to the main base or platform 10, while said point32 of the lever engages the main base or platform 10 for "supporting thebait holder lever in position, and that the trip lever has I be offsetportion 20 thereof in engagement with the bar 18 of the jaw for holdingthe aw in raisedposition-against spring tension with the portion 2et ofthe trip lever extending through the elongated loop 26 in the baitholde'r lever.

' In operation, the user 'of the trap may conveniently grasp the springforced jaw with one hand and :the :base or platform 10 withthe other-andforce theij aw to a-raised or set position as shown in Figuresl and 2 ofthe drawings. The jaw will then-engage behind the offset portion 20-ofthe trip lever. -As the "trip lever is always within the loop 26 of thebait holder lever, said :bait holder lever will be swung to its setposition.

' I When fan animal exerts a-slight'downward pressure upon the baitsupporting platform 36, the bait holder lever will be swungupon ,pivot28 thus raising the end thereof carrying the loop 26 which will causethe end r24jof the trip lever to. also be raised.

1 Upon the raising of the trip lever the offset {portion .20 thereof)will be disengaged from 'tlierspring iforce'd jaw, thus permitting saidaw to quickly :move in a {violent manner towards the forward-end *o'fthe base or plat- :formso as -to icatch and 'hold the ranimaL. :Iticttnbeseenthat when -the trap has been releasedthat'the portionl24'of thetrip lever will always remaindnftheloop 26 of the bait holder-le'ver-due :to the fact that the portion 25 of said trip lever extendsa :rela- 1 tivelyllongdistance-through theloop so'as to ,preventdisengagement-of the jp0Il'1lOI124: 1 'from theloop 26. Itis alsotobenotedthat thebent portion-3410fithe bait holder lever.-

0f said baitholder.

which forms a part of the loop 126 is the portion which engages the triplever in order to swing the same on its pivot. g

Having thus described-our invention, 'what we claim as new is: v

l. A trap comprising a base, a spring forced jaw mounted upon said base,a bar carried by :said jaw, a trip lever pivotally mounted upon saidbase and having an off-- set portion thereon for engaging said bar inorder to hold said-jaw, in set position, a bait holder pivotally mountedupon said base intermediate its ends, a bait platform on one end of saidbait holder, and a loop formed-on the opposite end of said bait "holderthrough which said trip lever'extends so as to cause movement of saidtrip lever upon movement'of said bait holder and for resetting said baitholder upon resetting'of i said jaw. v

2. A trap comprising a base, aFU-shaped aw having the oppositeparallelslde por- .tions thereof coiled at points spaced from the freeends thereof, .a bar carried ,by said'U- shaped jaw for movementtherewitln a bar secured to said base and extendingithrough said coiled.portions andpivotally supporting said U-shaped aw in order that theextremities of said parallel side portions engage said base so that saidcoiled portions act as sprin means for yieldably urging said U-shapedjaw in engagement with said base plate, a trip lever pivotally mountedupon said base and provided with an offsetportion base and extendingithrough said. coiled Lportions and pivotally supporting said U-shap'edjaw :in order that the extremities of said parallel side portions engagesaid base so that saidcoi'led portionsfact'as spring means for"-yieldably urging :said U- shapedjaw in engagementv with said baseplate, a bar "extending between the ''opposite side "portions of saidwU-"shaped jaw, a-t'rip flever pivotally mounted upon "said. base :andamj ing an "off-set portion "therein for engaging 7 :said bar in orderto hold said jaw inset 'iposition, and'abait holder :pivotally mounts ed:uponsaid base anchassociated with said trip lever-so as to causemovement fof said it'rip lever toaelease said jaw iuponimovement""WILLIAMrG. RAMSEY; i I 1 EDWARDS. EIoHENLitUB. JOH BaRNivrLLn,

